Stylianos was considered the best Grand Domestikos the Empire of Videssos had seen for a century. He served Maleinos II well, primarily on the frontier with the Khamorth tribes. As a measure of his effectiveness, he succeeded in launching several punitive expeditions onto the tribesmen's lands whereas previous generals had led their forces into grief.

Late into the second decade of Maleinos' rein, Stylianos declared himself Avtokrator and marched on Videssos the City with frontier troops loyal to him. This began a year long civil war which eventually led to Stylianos's victory and Maleinos' death in battle.

As consequence of the civil war and Stylianos taking most of the frontier troops was that the garrisons were left with minimal forces. This made them vulnerable to outsider attack. Indeed, the Khamorth used the chaos inside Videssos to invade the eastern provinces.